Pages

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Gonchar Talks Heating Up/ Flyers Acquire Rights to Dan Hamhuis

-According to Rob Rossi, talks with D Sergei Gonchar have been intensified the last few days as numbers have been exchanged. Those numbers are not known at this point. The Penguins have not given Gonchar a deadline, but if they would want to trade him at the draft, he would have to waive his no-trade clause. The NHL draft is on Friday, so this week is the most crucial week for the talks with Gonchar. The Gonchar situation will make Matt Cooke, Mark Eaton, and Jordan Leopold wait. Gonchar is Ray Shero's number one priority.

-The defenseman free agent market may be getting thinner soon with the Philadelphia Flyers acquiring the rights to D Dan Hamhuis from the Nashville Predators for D Ryan Parent and a 2011 conditional draft pick. Hamhuis was a player the Penguins looked at before the trade deadline and would have likely called him if he became a free agent. The Flyers will probably have to move some salary, but I expect them to sign Hamhuis to a deal. Philadelphia will have a very strong defense if he gets signed.